35 Christmas Dinner Ideas for 2021 from Secolari Family

‘Tis the season to eat, drink, and be merry – and what better way to celebrate Christmas than with 35 new Christmas dinner ideas to mix and match in with your classic holiday menu?

We have hand-selected the following recipes that offer unique twists on cozy holiday traditions. From starters and side dishes to entrees and dessert, we’ve got your entire menu covered this Christmas season. We promise to delight your family, friends, and tastebuds!

Making a Christmas dinner menu can be stressful – but with the help of this list, you will impress and delight your dinner guests with ease. Without further ado, jump into your best pair of holiday pajamas and sink into this collection of 35 delightful Christmas dinner ideas:

1. Petite Lamb Chops over Roasted Root Vegetables

Type of Dish: Entree

Serve With: This lamb chop recipe has an earthy richness that melts in your mouth. Pair this with a flavorful seasoned vegetable, like carrots or brussels sprouts.

This Christmas dinner, keep your main course simple and stunning with this delicious petite lamb chop recipe. Olive oil does most of the heavy lifting in this dish, allowing the natural flavors and juices of the lamb to shine through.

With such a rich flavor, these lamb chops only need a bit of seasoning – just a pinch of salt and pepper should do! To add a more Christmas-themed flavor, throw in some fresh rosemary sprigs when the chops are ready for roasting.

To grab this recipe this season, click here.

2. Easy Cheesy Jalapeno Poppers

Type of Dish: Appetizer

Serve With: Jalapeno poppers are perfect for dipping sauces. Give your guests the freedom of choice by offering marinara, garlic ranch, balsamic, or whatever else you prefer for dipping!

Treat your guests to an addicting and delectable starter with this super easy and cheesy jalapeno popper recipe. The creaminess of the cheese melds in with the spice of the pepper, all wrapped up together in a warm and fluffy crescent roll exterior.

You only need a few ingredients to wow guests with this spicy delight, and you can customize the flavor profile by experimenting with different types of cream cheese. To add more zestiness, consider adding an herb blend to add some extra spice for stronger palettes.

Find this holiday-winning appetizer here.

3. Sausage al Vino Rosso

Type of Dish: Appetizer or Entree

Serve With: The bold and robust flavors of these sausages pair well with a starchy companion, like roasted or mashed potatoes, coated in rich butter and gravy.

Add rustic flair to your Christmas dinner menu with this red-wine soaked sausage recipe. Boiled partially before searing in the pan, these sausages absorb all the subtle notes of the red wine you select to cook with. We recommend a Chianti for the most full-bodied flavor.

To serve this as an entrée, simply plate them in the serving dish of your choice and drizzle some of that wine-sausage juice goodness left over in the pan over top. To make this recipe appetizer-friendly, cut the finished sausages into bite-size pieces and add a toothpick skewer for easy eating. Make sure to have dipping sauces ready for action!

To enjoy this awesome recipe, click here.

4. Cheesy Artichoke Dip

Type of Dish: Appetizer

Serve With: This recipe offers you a creamy sauce that goes perfectly with soft, warm bread – like toast points or naan. For a healthier alternative, celery sticks make great scoopers for this artichoke dip.

The appetizers you serve at Christmas matter – especially when you have a houseful of hungry family and friends waiting for the main course to be complete! Luckily, this cheesy artichoke dip is simple to make and only needs about 5 minutes of prep time before going in the oven.

What makes this recipe truly delectable is the variety of cheeses included in it. To give this artichoke dip a unique and personal twist, try subbing in one of your favorite cheeses this holiday season.

To try out this recipe, click here.

5. Cucumber Tomato Feta Bouchées

Type of Dish: Appetizer

Serve With: As a refreshing and simple appetizer, these cucumber bouchées are super crisp and fresh. You can bring out these flavors further with specialty olive oils and herb mixtures.

Give your Christmas appetizer table a Mediterranean flair with this cucumber, tomato, and feta bouchées recipe. The saltiness of the feta cheese plays well on your palette when combined with the neutral flavor and crisp texture of the cucumbers.

The tomatoes give this dish extra tanginess, leaving all of your guesting wanting another mouthful of this tasty app. Plus, this recipe can be made ahead of time and chilled in the fridge, giving you all the time you need to focus on the main course.

Enjoy this refreshing appetizer recipe here.

6. Pigs in a Blanket Wreath

Type of Dish: Appetizer

Serve With: Mustard fans, rejoice! This appetizer recipe is the soul mate of a quality brown spicy mustard, but it will also go well with any other mustard of your choosing!

This recipe takes a classic appetizer – pigs in a blanket – and gives it an awesome and impressive holiday twist. After you have rolled your mini hot dogs into your crescent rolls, place them in the shape of a wreath on the pan. This will help them meld together, with a hold in the center perfect for dipping sauce.

Not only is this recipe super tasty, but it is also a great dish for small helping hands to assist you. Getting the kids in your life involved in making this app will entertain them and teach them the rewards of putting time and love into the foods they create.

To add this recipe to your holiday collection, click here.

7. Seared Scallops with Fresh Herb Dressing

Type of Dish: Appetizer or Entree

Serve With: Scallops are a versatile mollusk that can be dressed up to all your heart’s desires. Try seasoning with a healthy blend of herbs and smothering your delicious scallops in gourmet olive oils or butters.

It’s always a good idea to have seafood options on hand for your sea-fare-loving friends and family – and what better option than seared scallops? This recipe utilizes herbs and spices to bring out the delicate taste and texture of the scallop.

When making scallops, the key is to serve them as soon after they come out of the pan as possible. Thus, you may want to hold off on prepping these apps until you are ready for them to be on the table.

Jump into an ocean of holiday cheer with this scallop recipe.

8. Merry Little Christmas Deviled Eggs

Type of Dish: Appetizer

Serve With: Crispy and thin slices of pork, like bacon or prosciutto, pair well with the creamy mustard flavors of these Chrismas deviled eggs.

How do you take a classic appetizer and make it a Christmas-themed show stealer? With parsley and pink peppercorn, of course! Deviled eggs are the perfect apps to experiment with, so you can get creative and try out a wide range of different spices and herbs.

These jolly appetizers are customized for the holiday, ensuring your dinner guests will find all of the holiday cheer they need at your appetizer table this Christmas.

Make your deviled eggs merry this Christmas by following this recipe.

9. Cod and Fennel Soup

Type of Dish: Side Soup

Serve With: This soup begs to be paired with a delightfully crispy and crumbly cracker. Seasoned salt or garlic cracker flavorings will help bring out the many flavors and notes within this soup.

What’s a winter holiday without a heart- and belly-warming soup to serve on the side with your entrée? This recipe comes from Cucina Povera and creates a fragrant soup perfect for a cold winter’s eve. Fennel has long been used to amplify holiday dishes, and this soup recipe ensures its place on your dining table.

Serving a soup on the side is both the perfect replacement or partner for a fresh, palette-cleansing salad. The warm bite of soup complemented by the fresh crunch of greens will have your guests asking for another ladle full in no time.

To grab this recipe this Christmas, click here.

10. Cranberry Salsa

Type of Dish: Condiment for Appetizers and Entrees

Serve With: This cranberry salsa is served over cream cheese. While this is certainly a creamy and tasty option, for a higher level of richness and fanciness, try serving this salsa over delicious melty brie.

Sweet and creamy with just a dash of tartness and spice, this cranberry salsa is sure to inspire Christmas joy and cheer this holiday season.

Though this cranberry salsa goes great with just about anything, we recommend giving it a central placement on a charcuterie or snack board. Surround it with crackers, breads, meats, and cheeses for a holiday snack extravaganza.

Add this cranberry salsa to your condiment repertoire by clicking here.

11. Shrimp Grilled in Parsley Mint Pesto

Type of Dish: Appetizer or Entrée

Serve With: This recipe is packed full of flavor, making it a great stand-alone dish. However, it does pair well with several other side dishes as well, such as rice or pasta dishes.

Parsley and mint are hallmark herbs of the Christmas season – and they make a fantastic marinade for sauteed shrimp. These fresh flavors play off the seafood aromas to create a tastebud-pleasing sensation your guests will not soon forget.

For a cooler and more refreshing taste, this pesto mint sauce can be added after the shrimp have finished grilling. If you prefer your shrimp to absorb these flavors, add in the sauce with the shrimp in the pan.

Get your shrimp grillin’ this Christmas with this recipe.

12. Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb

Type of Dish: Entree

Serve With: Lamb is always a good companion for root vegetables, like potatoes and onions. For the wine-lovers at your table, this recipe pairs fantastically with a medium-dry white wine.

Christmas and lamb go together like Thanksgiving and turkey! Take your lamb recipe to the next level with this herb-crusted rack. Notes of parsley and garlic complement the natural juices and aromas of the lamb meat, making your mouth water as soon as the scent hits your nostrils.

For extra flavor, consider adding an olive-oil-based or balsamic dipping sauce on the side. These sauces will bring out the taste and scent of the herbs, all while contributing to the moist juiciness of the meat.

Grab this recipe for your holiday cookbook here.

13. Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt

Type of Dish: Side Dish / Bread

Serve With: This delightful flatbread recipe goes great with a variety of dips and dishes. Pair it with coarse salt and rosemary for a Christmas flavor explosion.

Breads are a staple in any holiday feast – they help to tie together flavors and offer a warm neutralness that complements almost every other dish on the table. This focaccia recipe is not only unique but extremely flavorful and soft, making it the perfect comfort food for your Christmas dinner table.

Flatbreads can be served with almost any type of dips, but to keep things simple try creating an olive oil and balsamic mixture. The bread will soak up the notes of olives and balsamic perfectly.

Fill your bread basket with this focaccia recipe, found here.

14. Honey Glazed Roast Pork with Vegetables

Type of Dish: Entree

Serve With: Roasted pork offers both sweet and savory flavors, making it the ideal companion for more neutral tastes such as those found in potatoes and rice. For a tangy addition, consider adding a tropical fruit, like pineapple or mango.

Roasted pork, glazed with all-natural honey and dripping with gravy – what more do you even need this Christmas? This recipe takes the classic honey-glazed pork dish and gives it the Christmas flair it needs to be the perfect centerpiece at your dinner table.

This recipe comes with everything you need, from how to make the honey glaze to offering simple instructions for a delicious gravy.

To enjoy this recipe this Christmas, click here.

15. Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Crispy Prosciutto

Type of Dish: Appetizer

Serve With: Once these pork tenderloin medallions have been wrapped in prosciutto and pan-seared to perfection, add a dash of olive oil and balsamic on top to give them a greater richness and some tang.

Meat wrapped in meat, pan-seared to perfection, and ready to release all the delicious juices onto your tastebuds – that’s what this recipe has to offer you. As an appetizer, this recipe can be the crown jewel of your app table. Complement the meaty flavors by pairing with an array of fresh veggies and dipping sauces.

Though this recipe works best as an appetizer, it can certainly make a lovely side dish for the meat lovers in your life. These are best when fresh and are quick and easy to make, so wait until you are ready to serve before throwing them over the fire.

Catch this awesome recipe here.

16. Chef John’s Perfect Prime Rib

Type of Dish: Entree

Serve With: This perfect prime rib recipe will take you back to your roots, where meat and potatoes are the kings of all meals. Thus, the ideal companion for this recipe is a baked potato cooked to perfection and doused in butter and sour cream.

Prime rib is a showstopper when it comes to Christmas-time entrees. Not only do the natural flavors of the meat need little additional seasoning, but the cooking process is super simple as well. Simply prep your prime rib for the oven and let that baby roast for around 2 hours.

Once your prime rib is out of the oven, consider adding a balsamic-based gravy or dipping sauce on the side. This will pair great with the juicy flavors of the meat, as well as bring out the subtle notes of side dishes such as potatoes.

Don’t miss out on the perfect prime rib this Christmas – find this recipe here!

17. Three Cheeses Scallopini

Type of Dish: Side Dish

Serve With: This recipe is cheesy and melty – perfect for dipping into with a roll, flatbread, or another carb-heavy companion. For seasoning, try out a blood orange olive oil to give this scallopini some extra pizazz.

A well-made scallopini will delight your taste buds with thin slices of meat smothered in melted cheese. As this recipe requires a variety of different cheeses, it’s the perfect recipe to use when you have lots of leftovers from snack boards and earlier dinner parties.

Adding herbs like rosemary to this dish will give it the Christmas flavor we all seek around this time of year. Plus, you can choose whichever meat you prefer to add to this scallopini – just make sure it is thinly sliced!

Enjoy this recipe this holiday by clicking here.

18. Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Christmas Tree

Type of Dish: Side Dish / Bread

Serve With: These cheesy garlic biscuit pull-aparts are the ideal partner in crime for a large saucepan of marinara. Top with crumbled or fresh parmesan for extra Italian flair.

Making foods into the shapes of Christmas trees is what the holiday season is all about. This recipe is not only visually appealing but mouth-watering as well. Crispy biscuits meld together with the help of string cheese, melted and gooey and ready for dipping.

You can use any cheeses your heart desires, but mozzarella should definitely be part of your starting lineup. Once they are finished baking, these pull-aparts are sure to wow your guests both young and old.

Pull this side dish into your heart this Christmas by following this recipe.

19. Balsamic Roasted New Potatoes

Type of Dish: Side Dish

Serve With: Potatoes are meant to be hand-in-hand with your meat entrees, serving a starchy bite to soak up all the juicy goodness of the meat. As such, make sure these potatoes are ready to go when your meat entrees are finishing up.

Every Christmas dining table needs a variety of different potato recipes to choose from – but with these balsamic roasted new potatoes, your guests may be asking for more of this one dish! This recipe gives traditional roasted potatoes a balsamic kick that explodes with flavor in your mouth.

Rosemary and parsley make great herbal additions to this potato dish. The powerful notes of these herbs help bring out the subtle earthiness of the potatoes, making this recipe all the more delicious.

Dive into potato heaven with this recipe by clicking here.

20. Classic Roasted Duck with Orange-Bourbon-Molasses Glaze

Type of Dish: Entree

Serve With: Glazed duck recipes are incredibly rich, making a fresh vegetable one of the best pairings for this recipe. Brussels sprouts and asparagus have a natural bitterness that – when seasoned correctly – will help highlight the subtle sweetness of the duck.

Take your Christmas entrée up in fanciness with this classic roasted duck recipe. Duck has long been a delicacy of the holiday season, with tradition seeing some families going out to catch their own duck for their Christmas dinner.

Duck can be a lot gamier than other fowl, making the addition of a sweet glaze necessary for achieving a subtler and more delicate taste.

Get a taste of this duck recipe here.

21. Roasted Acorn Squash Salad

Type of Dish: Side Dish / Salad

Serve With: This roasted acorn squash recipe is intended as a salad and will pair well with raw vegetables like mixed greens and kale. These fresh greens can even serve as a base for this recipe, giving your guests a refreshing crunch to go with the warm and hearty squash bites.

Acorn squash is an iconic winter crop, honored in a variety of different dishes served during the holiday season. This roasted squash salad makes the perfect side dish and can be prepared well ahead of time and stored overnight in the fridge.

You’re going to need some key spices for this recipe – particularly cinnamon, cumin, and onion powder. These will help to bring out the sweet and savory notes in the squash that are just waiting to have their aromas and flavors enjoyed.

Mix up your salad bowl this Christmas with this recipe.

22. Spice-Rubbed Tenderloin with Mustard-Cream Sauce

Type of Dish: Entree

Serve With: This recipe calls for a mustard-cream sauce, but really any sort of creamy sauce will go great with these spice-rubbed tenderloins.

Spice-rubbed tenderloins offer both subtle and bold flavors to excite your Christmas guests’ tastebuds and palettes. Cooked rare, these tenderloins will melt in your mouth like butter and have you piling seconds, thirds, and fourths onto your plate.

The spices used in this recipe include thyme, cumin, paprika, red pepper, and garlic powder. These are then paired with a small amount of olive oil to help these flavors sink into the meat and give the tenderloins a truly delicious exterior.

Get your spice on the holiday with this recipe.

23. Bruschetta with Ricotta Lemon

Type of Dish: Appetizer / Bread

Serve With: Brushetta and ricotta will always pair well with acidic vegetables, like tomatoes or peppers. Additionally, a drizzle of balsamic dressing or glaze on top of this recipe will give it a more tasty and traditional twist.

Bruschetta is a well-known appetizer that originated in Tuscany before taking the world by storm with its refreshing flavors and signature toasty crunch. This bruschetta recipe takes the classic ingredients and switches them out for ricotta and lemon zest, topped with a drizzle of your favorite olive oil.

As for when to serve this dish, it can work both as an appetizer and as an addition to your bread basket or table. The fresh tastes of ricotta and lemon can be very palette-cleansing, making it a good side dish to serve alongside entrees or appetizers.

24. Candied Sweet Potato with Marshmallow

Type of Dish: Side Dish or Dessert

Serve With: This recipe is overloaded with sweet sensations and will be best paired with a slightly bitter drink, like coffee or black tea. A tall glass of milk can also pair well with this decadent dish.

Sweet potatoes, dripping in brown sugar and butter, and topped with browned and melted marshmallows – have we died and gone to sugar heaven?

Though this recipe certainly has the look and taste of a dessert, it is also commonly served as a side dish during the main course. If your main course menu is looking overwhelmingly savory, then adding these candied sweet potatoes may be the perfect way to add some variety to your Christmas dinner flavors.

Satisfy your sweet tooth by clicking here to get this recipe.

25. Easy Pecan Pie with Olive Oil

Type of Dish: Dessert

Serve With: Pecan pie is super rich and sweet, making it a great stand-alone dessert. However, adding fresh fruit on the side and a glass of medium to dry red wine can give you both the freshness and bitterness needed to balance out this sweet treat.

Pecan pie is a pretty iconic holiday dessert, with central flavors like cinnamon and vanilla complementing the toasty sweetness of the pecans on top. Using a gourmet olive oil in the crust will help you to maintain more of its softness and moisture, while still achieving a crispy exterior.

Top this pie with a simple dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to bring out the more delicate flavors hiding beneath the crust of this pie.

Click here to get this delicious pecan pie recipe in time for Christmas.

26. Garlic and Bacon Green Beans

Type of Dish: Side Dish

Serve With: This side dish combines the refreshing crunch of green beans with the savory richness of bacon and garlic. These flavors pair well with light dipping sauces, like balsamic, and starchy side dishes, like potatoes.

How will you dress up your vegetables this holiday season? We recommended giving this garlic and bacon green bean recipe a try. It’s simple, effective, and delicious – and you can make a whole lot of it for just a few dollars!

The flavor and aroma of the pan-seared bacon merge into the skins of the green beans, creating mouth-watering bites you can’t get enough of. Gamier entrees like roasted duck will pair beautifully with the savory notes found in this recipe.

Grab this recipe for your holiday menu here.

27. Strawberry Gazpacho

Type of Dish: Appetizer / Starter Soup

Serve With: This strawberry gazpacho offers a sweet variation of the traditional Spanish soup. It pairs best with fresh fruits and veggies, making it a great addition for your appetizer table in between your fruit and veg trays.

Gazpacho is a cold soup that is light on the tastebuds and helps to prepare your palette for the foods to come. This strawberry gazpacho offers a delightful sweetness that can jumpstart your Christmas feast on an exceptionally positive note.

To make this recipe merrier for the holiday, consider adding a sprig of rosemary as a garnish once this gazpacho has been divvied up into dishes. This soup is served cold, so you can prepare it the day before and have it ready to go when the time comes.

Discover the magic of strawberry gazpacho with this recipe.

28. Popovers

Type of Dish: Side Dish / Bread

Serve With: These fluffy popovers are perfect for dipping into olive oil or butter-based sauces. The light exteriors absorb the flavors of juices and dipping sauces.

Popovers are a fun addition to your Christmas dining table, offering a fluffy roll that is browned and flakey on the outside but soft and warm on the inside. These popovers make great receptacles for really anything – jams, butters, meats, gravy, and whatever else your heart desires!

Plus, this recipe is super simple with only 5 ingredients – eggs, milk, salt, all-purpose flour, and melted butter. Once the dough is prepared, simply pop them in the oven for 20 minutes before reducing the heat and baking for another 10-15 minutes.

Pop onto this recipe page and grab the instructions for these popovers by clicking here.

29. Pan-Seared Lamb

Type of Dish: Entree

Serve With: This pan-seared lamb has a Greek twist to it, making it the ideal companion for pita bread and tzatziki sauces. It will also pair well with fresh veggies like cucumbers or heartier root vegetables.

This pan-seared lamb recipe takes a little extra effort and love, but it is so worth it for the delectable and extremely flavorful end result. The key element to this recipe is the marination process – after applying the rub, lemon juice, and olive oil, you should leave your lamb in the fridge to marinate for several hours.

Once your lamb has been given the proper opportunity to absorb all the flavors of the oil and spices, it’s time to sear it in an iron skillet. After completion, serve it up with a delicious dollop of yogurt sauce and your favorite holiday potatoes.

Try this recipe this holiday season by clicking here.

30. Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Dark Cherry Balsamic Drizzle

Type of Dish: Dessert

Serve With: This decadent dessert combines the rich flavors of dark cherry with the citrus zest of lemon olive oil to create an awesomely moist cake. It pairs well with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate to balance the range of flavors served up with this dessert.

Desserts are a crucial component of any successful Christmas dinner – after all, the holiday season is the time for indulging in all your favorite sweet treats! This lemon and black cherry cake is incredibly unique and wonderfully tasty.

The dark cherry balsamic is used as a drizzle on the completed cake, but can also be used to whip up a custom buttercream or other type of icing. Experimenting is half the fun of baking desserts, so get creative with your toppings this holiday season.

Satisfy your sugar cravings with this fantastic cake recipe.

31. Cherry Balsamic Compote

Type of Dish: Condiment

Serve With: Serve this sweet cherry balsamic compote with your desserts as an optional topping to add extra flavor and sweetness to any item on the table.

Why settle for store-bought fruit sauces when you can create a scrumptious cherry balsamic compote from the comfort of your own kitchen? This cherry compote is great for topping your desserts, but can also be an awesomely sweet condiment to pair with savory items, like lamb or duck.

You’re going to want to infuse this compote with various spices to give it that holiday edge it needs. Particularly, make sure you add cinnamon and orange rind, but also consider adding nutmeg or cardamom for extra holiday cheer.

Dip into this delicious compote with this recipe.

32. Salmon en Papillote

Type of Dish: Entree

Serve With: Salmon goes impeccably with potatoes or rice, and it is also complemented well by a variety of vegetable side dishes. Creating a lemon and olive oil drizzle can give this recipe extra tanginess and flavor as well.

Salmon has become an increasingly popular dish to serve at Christmas time, with its light flavors intensified with olive oil, butter, citrus, and other toppings. All different blends of herbs can be paired with salmon, making it an easy entrée to customize for Christmas herbs.

Baking this salmon en papillote results in a tender and moist fish fillet that melt like butter in the mouths of your guests. Try it out this Christmas and start a new seafood tradition for your holiday feasts.

Get to know this salmon recipe this Christmas by clicking here.

33. Mushrooms Gratin with Pistachio

Type of Dish: Side Dish

Serve With: Mushrooms are earthy vegetables that are delicious in creamy sauces and casseroles, like this mushroom gratin. The pistachio addition to this recipe makes it a great pair for sweeter citrus flavors, like lemon and orange.

When it comes to holiday side dishes, it’s hard to beat this mushroom gratin with pistachio recipe. Olive oil plays a crucial role in this dish, helping to create the creaminess gratins are known for. The bread crumbs and red pepper flakes give this recipe a savoriness and slight bite that make it all the more memorable.

We recommend popping open your favorite bottle of dry white or red wine to drink alongside this side dish. The recipe’s earth richness is well-matched with the bitter fruitiness of dry wines.

Check out this recipe by clicking here.

34. Stuffed Pears in Blue over Mixed Greens

Type of Dish: Appetizer or Dessert

Serve With: This stuffed pear recipe functions similarly to a salad on your dinner table. It pairs well with many different vinaigrettes, especially of the balsamic variety.

If you have never tried blue-cheese stuffed pears, this is the Christmas to try something new. This unique recipe combines the salty richness of blue cheese with the sweet softness of pairs to create a delectable dish. Plus, this dish can add a lot of aesthetic pleasure to your table as well!

When choosing a dressing to top these stuffed pears with, you can opt to make it sweeter or more savory depending on your preferences. We recommend balsamic for more savory dressings or a fruit-based vinaigrette or olive oil for fans of sweeter dishes.

Stuff your belly with this stuffed pair recipe this Christmas.

35. Cardamom-Infused Rice Pudding with Caramelized Apricots

Type of Dish: Dessert

Serve With: To add extra sweetness and creaminess to this cardamom-infused rice pudding, add a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla icing. Emphasize these sweet flavors by enjoying this dessert along with a cup of black or lightly sweetened coffee.

Does anything say Merry Christmas better than a rice pudding? This rice pudding recipe takes your dessert-making to the next level by infusing it with cardamom and topping it with delightfully caramelized apricots.

If you are not a fan of cardamom – or if you just want to add some extra spice – consider using cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice within this recipe. A drizzle of dark cherry or espresso balsamic can also add another layer of flavor on top of this rice pudding.

To enjoy this dessert this Christmas, find the recipe here.